AFTER RELEASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10609, 16 April 1912, Page 2

AFTER RELEASE.

OUR SERIAL.

By VIOLET M. FLINN, Author of "The Master Passion, "What Shall It Profit?" "Veren-," "By Devious Paths," Etc.

CHAPTER XX

As ftawarde stood on the pavement iu the Strand ho had a strange conviction that ho.'had been face to face with temptation and had •nearly succumbed to it. False sophistries had almost prevailed. "To do a great right do a little wrong," was ever a dangerous doctrine, and it had almost borne fruit. He drew a deep breath, as one who had barely escaped a great peril. f 'l deserve to be Stanton _ deal's son ; for T. am following in his footsteps, letting ambition gain the upper hand, seeking my own end at the cost of those who best love me. Was it because 1 knew I was not his son that T relaxed my vigilance, and let myself go? Well, I have escaped the snare of the. fowler, thank Heaven 1 I'll not gain my end through dishonorable channels." His face softened, j eyes grew tender. He was thinking of . Hermioue as she looked up at him in j the dimness of the tent room. Hd j was recalling again the clear, tender j voice that was so confident that' he j could not do wrong.- No, nor even j imagine it J "She believes in me! -She I shall not have' her trust betrayed!" he exclaimed, and a new exultation, j a joy of one who voluntarily and glad- j Ty embrace's self-sacrifice, filled his I veins. What were position, success, * fame in comparison'with the love and confidence of those two dear women who believed in him? In the -glow:, that possessed him he could hard y grudo-e even Hermione to Ludworth, for ho knew that her heart lay safe in his own keeping: He had no object in. remaining in nvn; he was indeed anxious to vreturn home. He had passed through the dark" valley ,-but the clouds had gone, and he stood on the uplands . breathing the pure, sweet air of happier thoughts and higher ideals. He looked at his watch. The mid-day express: Mb Euston in a few minutes; itmight ho eatclt : rk-- . "Do voii think .you can* do at/ . lie. asked the driver, of the hansom that Jio.had hailed. * ;' "I'll try sir,..but I'll have to 40 round-a ; Jbit. ',Msst of the road is up and down between here and the statWlt was certainly through.' 'byways "that the long, lean, catlike norse-was wriggling its way.- Eawarde had never been in-any of the streets before ■ They swung round corners,, darted across'Holboro, and came to anab- ' rupt stop, before a policeman's raised ia "lt isn't worth breaking our necks, cabby. Take it easy. .There is anSr ( tra.ht-at four, that will do as Wel 'k)li its alright,"sir," the man answered with the of a London cabby, "We'll do it. Get into V narrow street that seemed to have'seto better dajj,. and their apenwmeo created .some at-, tl surprise and consternation, aiM out int'a'dingy-lookin^squareßawarJ glanced at the name as they ilasneu across the asphalt. -.;,;. • "Mulgrave Square? I have nerei j heard of it. What> forgotten back- , - W£ H?got S no furlier in his, musings, j Turning the corner Nrfthe sharply "the borse slipped ! py asphalt. ■ It made a gallant at , tempt to recover, but it wM.unavad- , ng and it went down. At tteci 1 - ioal moment, while; Rawarde fell fOl- - and the' driver spnawled on the rooi, iier-hansom, evidently out of its tuue sourso by reason of road lepom., turned .smartly 'into the square 01 the wrone side of the road. Tho duvei aw Ms mistake too late and there was a clash and llawarde liad much the insatonof having fallen over a P ■Scf£ hissleep, and awakened v-ith £*** when he rt^^^th. He was never quite <*^ ora >JX or he lost consciousness monientaul>, but he lund himself on the Pavement, sSlfng ,tn P idly •* 0 *! cabs' and the struggling horses. a S crowd had'.sprung up apparcnt- ' ytmlowhero. ™e lUved to have escaped unscathed sayo hurt?" someone asked RaWe and he turned, still * life oon- ' hSecl! to the tall girl who stood besido

am not hurt anywhere, hut I feel a little dense." . -, -I thin,k you must have jumped and realised what was going on. TlSfers are alright, and that cut .but.the.othet is unconscious. He looks bad. but I have telephoned, for a doctor "professional instinct awoke in Ravrarde; he Rave himself a little shake to collect his scattered senses. . "I had better see him, he said, ■ The occupant had withsomo diftculty »beoti extricated from the_ wreckage of the other cab, and was "lying on the pavement, with a curious crowd pressing round, excluding every bit oi the fresh air. He had been cut superficially by the broken glass on his hands and face, but his unconsciousness was clearly the result of concussion, since no injury was -apparent in. the hasty examination that Rawarde made. "He-ought not to stay here," lie said, looking up at the girl who stood near him. ".I hope the concussion 's only slight, hut "

i "He had better bo carried into my rooms,' 'she said promptly; and Rawarde, in spite of his concern, was deeply conscious of the richness of her voice and her practical common sense. Half a dozen offered their services as porters, and uiubr Rawarde's directions, the injured man was taken with ! care into the house and into the room that tlie girl indicated. } It was a sitting room ,hut it con- [ tained an old-fashioned settee of genj erous proportions, upon which the injured man was laid, and-.Rawa.rde took I charge of the proceedings while the girl attended to what he said in regard to hot water and bedclothes. "J)o you think the injuries are serious?' she onco said, as she was sponging tho dirt from his face. "Xo, I don't think so. He will proi bably be alright in a day or two, but he ought not io.jbe "removed at present. Would it be very inconvenient if ho were to stay "here for the night. Miss- " "My name is Grainger. It must be made convenient! We will be able to manage. But we may be able to find so*me way of communicating with his friends." "Ho will have a cardca'se," Rawarde said,, as''he looked at the unconscious man. "It will probably be in his pocket. Ah, I thought so. 'John Trcsidder, The Wanderers' Club,' " he | read.

"Tresidder!" Eldyth repeated half to herself. A little colour flushed over her pallor, and she looked at the recumbent figure with renewed interest. Was this tall, brown-tfaced man the Tresidder of whom she had heard ? Rawarde saw the change in her manner, and noticed the quickened tone of her voice. » "Do you know him?" lie asked.' "I think-I heard someone 1 know speak of him ," she answered. "If it is the same gentleman he has no intimate friends in town. He lives in chambers by himself. I think'l know his*private address, hut it would be possible'to find 6ut."\ .'-. v-- ;-■ "Yes.,. One. never knows how theseinjuries to the head may go. Besides" —with another kot.at. the still figure —"he has probahly got his own servant, and it would be a great help to yon and your landlady"—he guessed 1 instinctively that she was in rooms in the house" —if he.were here to attend him. They would certainly know his \ home address at "the chib." He turhi ed as a newcomer, obviously a doctor, entered tho room.'. "This is Doctor Harris," Eldyth said. "I do not know your name." "Rawarde. lama surgeon."

While the two surgeons:were talking Etdyth," sl/ipped out to .telephone to the Wanderer's Club. She felt excited and her. he art was beating faster than was its wont, and her voice shook with : nervous anticipation as she gave the required number. It seemed to her a remarkable thing that Mr Tresidder, who was the duke's friend, should be under her roof under her care. When the duke hoard what had happened, what would he say or do? Perhaps he would \feel that' the call of friendship made it incumbent that he should call to inquire.-. . The colour rose in, her face; the large eyes, in which, the shadows had deepened, glowed. She put her head on her hand.as it rested oni the tele-, phone desk. .'The'' thought of seeing 'him. .again 'wa3 ; J.:#xcioating in its sweetness. To hear'the soft, pleas-' ant voice, to see, the .boyish face with its ever-ready smile and laughing eyes, the'faco that was in her opinion handsome—it seemed a happiness too great to be realised. It was so long since she had seen him, not since that afternoon when they had walked round the damp park and she had had the strength to refuse the siege he had made—he would never know, she told herself, how nearly successful, he had been —to her heart. : I "Oil, I want to see him so much: , I do not know how much!" she said ' with, v a little soib. ~ \ ! The ring of the telephone i recalled her to her errand. Yes, it was the Wanderer's Club. Yes, they knew Mr Tresidder as a member.. Yes, they would put her on to his -private address. ! Tresidder's servant betrayed real concern in his replies to her. He would he with:her as quickly as possible. Yes, it would he convenient forhim to stay the night. He was glad the.accident did not appear to he very -serious. ' SJie hung up the receiver and went back to the sitting Toom. To her surprise Tresidder had been taken into an ' .adjoining ibedroom that the landlady had prepared. _ She was mechanically tidying the disordered room when Harris and Bawarde entered together. They had the best account to give of their paient. He had recovei-cd consciousness and uo injury had heen located, but. he was suffering from a severe shock, and they thought it would be wisa j for liim to .stay where he was for a I fowdays. (To he continued.)